Steering mechanism for vessels



(No Model.) I

J. L. OATHOART.

STE BRING MECHANISM FOR VES SE LS. No. 274,172. Patented Ma'r.20,1883.

'WITJVEJS I INVENTOR N. PETERS. Pnuw-mnn r her. Washington. 0.0.

NITED STATES PAT NT rates.

JAMES L. OATHOART, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.

STEERING MECHANISM FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,172, datezl March 20, 1883. 7 Application filed June 14,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern -Be it known that I, JAMES L. UATHOART, a citizen of the United States, residing at AleX- andria, in the county of Alexandria. and Stateof Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaius to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in l steering apparatus; and the object is to construct a very simple and durable as well as powerful. apparatus by which vessels of all kinds, and especially what are termed pungies and other small vessels, can be easily and quickly made to answer the helm.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of certain parts of a steering apparatus, as will be more fully described hereinafter, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters of referencerefer to like parts in the differentfigures of the drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a. side elevation of my improved steering apparatus. Fig.2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the. sheaves. Fig. 4 is a top view of the rudder-post.

In the drawings, A A is a suitable frame, made preferably of iron, so as to obtain strength with reduced space and material. per part of this frame is journaled a shaft, B, upon the outer end of which is secured the steering-wheel O, and on the opposite end is arranged the sprocket-wheel D, suitable setcollars, s, on the shaft B preventing lateral movement thereof. In the lower part of the frame is placed a shaft, 0, held in place by setscrews (1, and upon this shaft the two sheaves E are arranged to revolve loosely.

Itis obvious that the pulleys E and I) may be secured to the shaft 0, and the shaft arranged to revolve in hearings in the frame.

011 each side of the sheaves is cast a pulley, b. A chain, F, passing over the sprocketwheel D, is secured at its opposite end to lugs a on each of them by nut andscrew.

Two chains, G, are attached with one end to the pulleysband with the other to the lugs fee In the up-.

IO me.

a sheave,H,secured to the rudder-post I. The rudder-post can by this arrangement be arranged at any desired angle, and is therefore especially adapted for pun gies and other small vessels in which the rudder-post is placed at a great incline.

To the top of the rudder-post is attached a pointer, e, by which the position of the rudder is indicated. An anchorTpiece, k, with a setscrew, Z, may be secured to the deck and be connected to the after frame-piece A, so as to regulate the tension of the chains G according to the distance required or in case the chains become slackened by use.

This steering apparatus can be made of suitable size to suit any size of vessel, and by increasing or decreasing the proportion of the sprocket-wheel and sheaves the power of the apparatus can be greatly varied and according to the circumstances of the case.

' It will be readily seen that the angle of the.

rudder post can be varied to any desired amount, as the chain from the pulleys to said rudder-post will permit of such variation, and this is a very important feature of my invention.

Thewhole apparatus is very simple in its construction and operation, is not liable to get out of order, and in case any of the parts hecome broken or worn out they can be readily repaired or replaced, and at a very small expense. The apparatus can also be produced for a very moderate cost.

It will be readily seen by those skilled in the art that by passing the chain F around the sheave Dand securing the ends thereof to the sheaves E, which are of greater diameter than the sheave D, and thence transmitting the power from the small pulleys b, by means of chain G. secured thereto, to the sheave H on therudder-post I direct, far more power can be exerted to the rudder, and without the use of a tiller, than with any arrangement known This peculiar arrangement of sheaves and pulleys, by which great leverage is obtained, is a very important part of my inventiou.

I am aware of the English Patent No.l3,895 of 1852, and disclaim the construction therein shown, as it is entirely difierent, and by it the object of invention could not be accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. The steering mechanism herein described, consisting of the hand-wheel and its shaft, the pulley D, secured upon said shaft, the large and small pulleys E E b 1), arranged upon the shaft 0, a chain or rope, F, passing over the pulley D and attached at its ends to pulleys E E, and the chain G, attached to the pulleys Z) Zr and passing around the drum or sheave H on the rudder-stock, substantially as specified.

2. The steering mechanism herein described, consisting of the hand-wheel and its shaft, the pulleyD on said shaft, the large pulleys E E, having small pulleys b I) cast thereon and arranged upon shaft 0, a chain or rope, F, passing over pulley D and attached at its ends to pulleys E E, and the chain G, attached to the JAMES L. oArHoART.

Witnesses:

LLOYD KELEHER, ADAM E. SCHATZ. 

